Meatloaf

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This article is about the meat dish. For the singer, see Meat Loaf.

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A meatloaf with a tomato topping.

Meatloaf is a meat dish consisting of seasoned ground meat (usually ground beef or a combination of ground beef with veal, lamb or pork), which is formed into loaf shape and baked or smoked. During the Great Depression it was popular to add cereal grains to the meatloaf to stretch the meat; this has now been adopted by people who wish to eat a lower-fat version of meatloaf (adding cereal also helps to bind the meat, lending it a more cohesive shape). It is often served warm as part of the main course, but can also be found sliced as a cold cut. It is in many respects similar to pâté, which is generally more finely ground. The meatloaf can either be placed on a baking tray or in a mold. The result is usually shaped like a loaf of bread, but other shapes, e.g. heart shapes, are possible.

Fish is used in a similar manner in Southeast Asian and Central American cuisines, where it is mixed with rice and baked in loaves.
Ground turkey can be mixed with cornbread stuffing, herbs, and vegetables, and topped with gravy, to produce a "Turkey Dinner" all in one loaf.

Many meatloaf recipes are adapted from meatball recipes from the Northeastern United States. Many of these recipes call for pasta sauce or tomato sauce to be poured over the loaf to form a crust during baking. In the Midwestern United States, the pasta sauce has been replaced with simple ketchup, but is prepared in a similar manner. In Texas, barbecue sauce is sometimes used.

A meatloaf served with sauce.

Meatloaf is an extremely versatile dish. The ground meat is frequently mixed with breadcrumbs, small pieces of bread soaked in milk (or red wine or another liquid), wheat germ, or oatmeal, and eggs in order to make it more dough-like. Salt, herbs and spices (such as parsley), as well as chopped vegetables (such as onions, green peppers and celery), may also be added. Another variety of meatloaf is prepared by frosting it with mashed potatoes, drizzling it with a small amount of butter, and browning in the oven. Some people like to add strips of bacon on top. Furthermore, meatloaves may be filled with eggs, cheese, vegetables, herbs, mushrooms, or a combination of these ingredients. Meatloaf is best eaten with some kind of sauce or relish. The dish can be considered Italian (it is a cousin to the meatball), Midwestern, or even soul food.

Because of the potential hodge-podge of ingredients, meatloaf is a popular food in comedy, and usually portrayed as being ruined by a lack of cooking skill.